MCR-01 Club, G-DGHI

Summary:

The pilot had intended to fly to Le Touquet with a passenger. As this was to be his first flight across the channel in this aircraft he decided to perform several circuits, on the day prior to the planned flight, in order to check that it was fully serviceable. Three such circuits were carried-out, stopping after each one to perform magneto-drop and temperature and pressure checks which all proved satisfactory. After a break of about an hour he checked the fuel contents with a calibrated dip-stick, confirming that he had 70 litres on-board, and then carried out the full pre-flight checks before lining-up for takeoff on the grass strip with the electric fuel pump switched on. All of the required checks prior to take off were completed but, at approximately 150-200 ft, the engine ‘coughed’ and stopped suddenly. The pilot realised that he could not land straight ahead since the field in front had numerous obstructions, including sheep, and there were similar problems to the right, so he decided to land to the left, in a field of oil seed rape. Upon touchdown the nose landing gear leg folded upwards and back but the aircraft stayed upright and, after switching off the electrical master switch and fuel cock, the pilot exited the aircraft normally. Injury was confined to minor scratches on both hands. G-DGHI had been built by its owner/pilot from a ‘fast-build’ kit supplied by Dyn-Aero of France. It had flown about 31 hours at the time of the accident. The owner decided that the aircraft should be repaired by the main agent for Dyn-Aero in France and it was despatched there with an undertaking that the reason for the engine failure would also be investigated. The company has reported back that a piece of material, identified as a piece of heat-resistant sleeving used around hoses in the engine compartment, was found to be obstructing fuel flow to the carburettors. It was reasoned that this material must have been introduced during build, since it was downstream of the filter which would have prevented it from reaching the location where it was found had it dropped into the fuel tank, for example.

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